The Unnoticed Sponsorship

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

The Unnoticed Sponsorship turned an invisible disease into a visible warning.

In partnership with Instituto Melanoma Brasil, we used Botafogo’s official jersey to raise awareness about melanoma, responsible for 75% of skin cancer deaths in Brazil, despite having up to a 93% survival rate when detected early.

Over two months and 12 official matches, a small spot on the jersey grew from 4mm to 6mm, reflecting the silent progression of the disease.

The reveal happened during a press conference, transforming subtle exposure into a powerful message about early diagnosis.

With no paid media, the campaign generated over 50 million impressions, R$60 million in earned media, and a 25% increase in Google searches for “melanoma” in Brazil.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

This campaign represents excellence in engagement by transforming passive exposure into active curiosity and action.

Instead of interrupting the audience, the idea integrated seamlessly into football culture, one of the most engaging environments in Brazil. The gradual change in the jersey created a narrative that invited attention, speculation, and discussion over time.

Fans, media, and the general public became part of the story, trying to understand the meaning behind the growing spot.

This sustained engagement culminated in a clear and impactful reveal, which converted curiosity into awareness and action, as seen in the spike in searches and conversations.

By combining cultural relevance, simplicity, and a clear narrative, the campaign drove strong organic engagement.

Objective

The objective was to make melanoma visible and increase awareness about the importance of early diagnosis.

In Brazil, melanoma is responsible for 75% of skin cancer deaths, despite having up to a 93% survival rate when detected early. The challenge was that melanoma is often perceived as distant or invisible, which reduces urgency and awareness.

The campaign aimed to transform this invisible threat into something impossible to ignore, encouraging people to recognize early signs and seek medical attention.

To achieve this, we used football — the country’s most powerful cultural platform — to bring the issue into everyday life, reaching millions of people in a context where attention and emotion are naturally high.

Strategy & Execution

The strategy was to turn invisibility into visibility through progressive storytelling.

We used Botafogo’s official jersey as the media platform. A small spot appeared on the back of the shirt at 4mm and grew to 5mm and then 6mm over two months and 12 official matches, reflecting the silent progression of melanoma.

The evolution happened naturally across matches, TV broadcasts, interviews, social media, Botafogo TV, player announcements, stores, and even the mascot, ensuring consistent exposure without disrupting the game.

No explanation was given during the activation, allowing curiosity and attention to build over time.

The campaign culminated in a press conference, where the purpose was revealed, transforming subtle repetition into a powerful awareness message about early diagnosis.

With no paid media, the strategy relied on cultural relevance and consistent storytelling to scale.

Organizations

• End to End (lead agency)

• Arena 23 (creative partner)
• Instituto Melanoma Brasil (client and medical authority)
• and Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas (club and primary media platform).

Links

•   Website

Featured

• Botafogo first team players and club media channels (Botafogo TV and social media platforms).

Credits

Alexandre Mota
Creative
End to End

Bruno Brum
Strategy
End to End

Levy Oliveira
Creative
End to End

Ney Ferreira
Account Management
End to End

Rodrigo Azevedo
Creative
End to End

Wagner Ponce
Creative
End to End

Becca Purice
Production
Area 23

Chinkara Singh
Production
Area 23

Connor Reilly
Creative
Area 23

David Adler
Production
Area 23

Diego Torgo
Creative
Area 23

Fernando Riveros Butorvic
Creative
Area 23

Jason Graff
Creative
Area 23

Jesse Young
Creative
Area 23

Larry Kirschner
Creative
Area 23

Tim Hawkey
Creative
Area 23

Victor Toyofuku
Creative
Area 23

Viton Araujo
Creative
Area 23

Hubert Padowski
Production
Ars Thanea

Jakub Grobelny
Production
Ars Thanea

Lukasz Szyszka
Production
Ars Thanea

Maciej Mizer
Production
Ars Thanea

Magdalena Burzykowska
Production
Ars Thanea

Marcin Gibowski
Production
Ars Thanea

Peter Jaworowski
Creative
Ars Thanea

Jayme Monsanto
Production
Sonido

Jimmy Gressler
Production
Sonido

Lucas Duque
Creative
Sonido

Vava Mayrink
Account Management
Sonido